Posted on 09/14/2007 8:12:57 PM PDT by OKIEDOC
Tony Thornton Staff Writer MUSKOGEE — In normal circumstances, tonight's game between two of the state's top football teams should be capturing all of Muskogee football coach Matt Hennesy's attention. Instead, he was dealing with the fallout from a Thursday evening accident in which a 7-year-old boy's bike ran into the coach's car, which was pulling to a stop before leaving a parking lot.
The boy, Chase Thornton, suffered a broken collarbone, a knot on his head and road rash on a leg and shoulder.
The coach suffered a sullied reputation.
A story in Friday's Muskogee Phoenix quoted Hennesy as saying, "I ought to be dealing with tomorrow night's game, not this crap.”
The newspaper also quoted Hennesy as saying, "I'm not going to file a report against a little kid, even though my car was damaged. It was the kid's fault.”
Hennesy said the context of his statements was misunderstood.
"They made me look like a monster,” the coach said Friday.
Hennesy admitted he may have erred by not calling police after the accident. He said none of several witnesses, including a registered nurse, thought to call the police, either.
The accident happened about 6 p.m. as Hennesy was leaving the parking lot of Indian Bowl stadium. His Muskogee Roughers team, ranked third in the state's top class, had just finished its last practice before tonight's game against top-ranked Tulsa Union.
He said the boy, identified as Chase Thornton, ran into the front of his car while trying to dart across the street. Hennesy said he was looking the other direction and didn't realize his car had been hit until a football player who was riding with him told him.
The coach said he and several other people got out of their cars to help. Hennesy said he called the boy's father, who said he was taking care of a baby and would come as soon as he could.
By then, Hennesy said, his car was blocking the exit, and he was running 20 minutes late to a team dinner that included his superintendent and principal, so he left after the nurse told him she would tend to the injured boy. Two of his players carried the boy to the training room, Hennesy said.
He said he never heard from the child's father again.
The boy's father could not be reached for comment this morning.
About 10 p.m. Thursday, Hennessy said, he was watching game film when a Muskogee police officer called and asked him to come to the hospital and fill out a report.
The officer criticized him for not calling police after the accident but said no citation would be issued, Hennesy said.
The coach said he told the officer, "I'm not going to file a charge, because it's a kid.”
He said a Muskogee Phoenix reporter called his cell phone about 11 p.m. as he filled out the police report.
That's when Hennesy uttered the line that prompted a flood of e-mail responses Friday from angry readers.
"In no way, when I say I shouldn't be dealing with this crap was I referring to the kid or his parents,” Hennesy said Friday.
Instead, he said he was talking about filling out the police report and doing that interview.
By late this morning, Hennesy said he had received about 50 phone calls, all supportive, "from people who know me and know there's no way” his quotes reflected his character.
Police have given information about the accident to the district attorney's office, which will determine if any laws were broken.
Under Oklahoma law, the driver of a vehicle involved in an injury accident is required to immediately call police.
Assistant District Attorney James Walters said Friday he had not seen the police report and has not made a decision on the incident.
CONTRIBUTING: The Associated Press
What a sorry excuse for a leader of young men.
No, I would say they were making him to look like the a-hole he is!
Why on earth do people make such jerks of themselves and then blame other people for making them look bad when the facts are pointed out? They did it to themselves!!!
Hello, you looked like a monster because your are one. A heartless one at that.
Most insensitive of him.
Good observation.
Exactly! The words came out of HIS mouth ...
Hi Metmom, I agree
BTW, FReepmail on its way later in the day. Got some news for you all and why I was missing for a month (from the country and from FR).
What is going on in Muskogee? Bikes and cars running around at all hours unattended - shocking! That bike should have been in the garage doing its homework, not gallivanting around hooking up with strange cars!
****************
So, he's a liar as well as an insensitive, immature clod.
Good point. Agreed.
Thank you.
And just to tease you a bit, would you feel the same way about this if the coach was Bob Stoops? ;^)
Isn't that big of him? What a man.
IMHO, as soon as the officer heard that statement, he should have arrested him for failing to file an accident report earlier. Then let the coach sit in jail for a while thinking about why he is responsible to fill out a report (since he can't figure it out on his own.)
I think if my kid was on his team, I'd encourage him to find a new team. What would the coach do if one of his players gets clipped by an opposing team player, is laying injured on the field, and the clock is running down. Go on with the next play and let others to worry about it? After all, it isn't his fault. /sarc off
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.